Wednesday, February 3, 2010

MOONLIGHTING

Here's my offering for 3WW and #fridayflash.MOONLIGHTING

"Listen. Do you smell something?" That was still her favorite line from Ghostbusters. Jen flipped through the channels, saw nothing else interesting and decided, why not, it'd been a while. She returned to Comedy Central, perched on the edge of the couch and waited for a commercial break.

"Bob" and his smiling goofy face filled the screen. Even though the limp hose cracked her up, she hurried to the cabinet, slammed a Pop Secret Bag in the microwave and poured herself a tall glass of diet coke. Wow, she was enjoying herself. Jen couldn't remember the last time she spent a working night watching television. Shoot! She was working; she better check on Dick.

Jen flipped the bedroom light switch. Disco blues and pinks, yellows and oranges swirled over the bed. Frantic, Dick struggled against his restraints. She could hear syllables between his grunts. Jen pulled her nightstick from her belt, whacked him across his chest. She yanked him by his hair and adjusted the ball gag; tightened his ankle and wrist cuffs while she stood close. Jingle notes from a local car ad mingled with Dick's pants. "Dick, dick, dick," she said as she removed her gun belt, unbuttoned her blue shirt. She couldn't decide whether to stay in her pants and tee shirt or change into something more comfortable. Absently she tickled his left sole, listened to a lizard talk about insurance from the other room.

Sweat poured off his temples. Jen yawned. "What am I supposed to do with you?" She flipped open her ticket pad, pretended to read. "Your wife says you've been naughty. You understand that right?"

Dick's eyes bulged from the bed. "Melissa hired me to teach you what can happen. Men who cruise, lose." Jen laughed; that line cracked her up, no matter how many times she used it. She sniffed. "Dick, did you just soil yourself?" The reek of his bowels mingled with movie butter whiffs, a unique and almost not unpleasant odor to Jen. The announcer's voice boomed over bright music, reminding the viewer that a new South Park could only be seen on Comedy Central.

"Usually, I like to draw these things out, but Dick, tonight, I'm just not in the mood. Let's get this over with." Jen showed the shackled man her taser, aimed for the body part his wife had ordered and zapped him. Dick lurched into an impossible arch before he passed out. Jen dropped the stun gun, closed the bedroom door and returned to her living room.

Good, she thought, I haven't missed Slimer. Jen emptied her popcorn, brought the bowl and soda to the living room and placed them on the coffee table. She tucked her grandma's afghan under her curled legs, found the remote and increased the volume. She laughed when the four ghostbusters ruined the hotel dining room. Capturing the green ghost got Jen thinking. Containment box... I could charge more.

Always keeping the reader on their toes, did not see the bondage coming. Your writing always seems to include a surprise factor or a spin in a total unexpected direction... which makes your work very entertaining!

I'm beginning to start reading your pieces with the "OK where is she going to take this" mentality. This one makes me want popcorn. :-) Thanks as always for sharing.

Disturbing and hilarious. I liked how you explored a character that is violent one minute, then gets on with her day-to-day life the next. I also like that you chose a woman for this, to reverse sterotypes.

As they say here in Belfast, even the terrorists go Christmas shopping.

Great read - visual and a little twisted/dark. Love the direction this takes and the subtle use of Geico ads and South Park, along with the more prominent role of Ghostbusters. And as Laurita noted - Jen's nonchalance was great. Well done!